As a busy year in sports winds to a close, The Blue Zone will count down the top 10 Duke stories of 2013. Check back throughout the week as we review the most memorable moments of the year.
The 2013 NFL draft was coming to a close. Through nearly seven rounds of action, 248 players had already seen their pro football dreams realized. But after becoming one of the surprise teams of 2012 with a six-win season and a bowl appearance, Duke was not represented among those first 248 picks. Wide receiver Conner Vernon and quarterback Sean Renfree were each projected as potential late-round picks, yet their names could not be found on the board.
With just six picks left in the draft, Sean Renfree received a phone call from Arthur Blank, owner of the Atlanta Falcons. The reigning NFC South champions had just selected Renfree with the 249th overall pick, making the signal-caller the first Blue Devil drafted since 2004.
“I was ecstatic. When I heard that the Atlanta Falcons had made me their final selection, it was really a surreal moment,” Renfree said. “I’ve always had a dream of playing in the NFL. I know being drafted and playing are two different things, but it’s a step towards that goal.”
The rise of Blue Devil football opened eyes of professional coaches and NFL experts, and many saw value in smart and skilled quarterback like Renfree. But with less than a minute to play in the 2012 Belk Bowl, Renfree sustained a torn pectoral muscle and had to undergo surgery the next day.
The injury caused Renfree—the most accurate passer in Duke history with a career completion rate of 64.7 percent—to miss the NFL Combine and Duke’s Pro-Day, robbing the young quarterback of additional chances to impress NFL scouts. Nevertheless, Renfree’s prior achievements and performances earned him enough merit to remain in the draft conversation. ESPN NFL draft guru Mel Kiper, Jr. had previously likened Renfree to NFL quarterbacks Matt Schaub and Matt Hasselbeck, and projected the Duke signal-caller to go as high as the fifth round.
"Physically, he has some of the things you look for. Playing for David Cutcliffe obviously helps him," Kiper said. "He understands this type of offense which is very conducive to transitioning to the pro level pretty effectively."
Renfree’s biggest champion was his coach, David Cutcliffe, who had only words of praise for the three-year starter that played a critical role in turning around a program that had not won six games since 1994.
“The Atlanta Falcons are getting a young man who will have a positive impact on the field, in the film room, in the locker room and in the community—he’s just that type of special person,” Cutcliffe said. “Today, Sean realizes a dream that so many boys have at an early age, and no one is more deserving.”
Renfree continued his rehab and was finally healthy as the Falcons entered training camp, but had his ups and downs in the preseason. He was slated to make the team as Atlanta's third-string quarterback behind starter Matt Ryan and backup Dominique Davis, but was placed on injured reserve Aug. 30 with a shoulder injury. Effectively an NFL redshirt, Renfree was given an extra year to hone his skills after his recovery and make another run at the Falcons' roster in 2013.
Check out the rest of The Blue Zone's top 10 stories of 2013:
3. The Comeback—Duke lacrosse rallies from 2-4 start, five-goal deficit to win national championship
4. The Commitments—Building Duke's monster 2014 recruiting class on the hardwood
5. The Expansion—ACC grows to 15 teams
6. The Return, part III—Andre Dawkins makes his long-awaited return to the Blue Devils
7. The Return, part II—Coach K commits to Team USA and Duke through 2016
8. The Return, part I—Ryan Kelly goes for 36 against Miami in his first game back from injury
9. The Leg—Kevin Ware sparks Louisville to Elite Eight victory against Blue Devils
10. The Pick—Sean Renfree becomes Duke's first NFL draft selection since 2004
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